Flight of the Daedric Maiden

Curse the day I was born! All this time, I had been too naive to understand why Kiya's acting strangely! Serana had recently brought to my attention that Kiya was glancing my way when I took my helmet off to take a breath of air. She said she caught Kiya glancing, and she blushed. She blushed! What a fool I have been not to see it that way. Serana even offered to back off so Kiya and I can spend more time and talk about things, but my stupidity got in the way and Kiya heard me tell Serana I needed her. I meant her advice, damn the Gods! Now she runs off inside the tower, and I immediately follow her inside.

I wonder how Kiya unlocked this?

At the top of the tower, a great Dwarven mechanism lay untouched for thousands of years. Kiya was already at the controls at the top when we got there. She had just unlocked the puzzle that contained the Elder Scroll when Serana and I got there, so she jumped down and screamed, "Take the Scroll! I'll leave you two alone!" and ran outside. 

Careful now Kousei, it might be brittle.

I hurriedly ran towards the opened shell containing the Elder Scroll, and with a trembling hand, took it as gently as I could and kept it. I needed to be fast to catch up to Kiya, wherever she might be going. I wanted to shout after her, but I know words are useless now when words started it all. 

It was well that the Tower of Mzark had a door to Skyrim, else I might get lost in the immensity of Blackreach and never know where she might have gone. I catch her outside the Tower, running as fast as she could. Those Restoration spells of hers come in handy not only against the undead, but also for out-running me. She ran and ran until I almost have no sight of her and shouting her name did not reach her anymore. 

KIYA! WAIT!!

I was furiously running. No, more like furious and running. I was angry at Serana for not telling me sooner, and I told her that. I was frustrated enough to tell her that everything was her fault. She stopped running that instant, and once I stopped in my tracks too she calmly told me, "You're on your own, Kousei. I wonder why she likes you," and simply walked away. I tried to start after Serana, but she had disappeared. I panicked, fearing I might have lost tracking Kiya.

How many bottles have you had, Kiya?

I managed to track her after a long while, for she has a distinct smell I fondly recall. That, and she had been burning trees left and right. She might as well have told me she wanted me to follow. I find her inside Windpeak Inn at Dawnstar, with bottles of ale around her. She must have drank seven or more when I got there, and most of her drinking buddies have passed out in the rooms. Only one remained, and he tried to stop me from approaching Kiya. I am guessing she has told them of me, of how I managed to frustrate her. I push her drinking buddy away, knowing he stood no chance against me, and as I was about to tap her on the shoulder, she turned around and hurled an ice spike towards my face, screaming, "Serana's not the only one who can use that, Kousei!" She passed out. 

That guy had three and he's almost passed out.

I picked her unconscious body up and noticed that everyone was staring at me. Kiya's drinking buddy was up--struggling to get up, rather--but he was staring, still. I cannot stay here, I thought. Kiya has probably told them a lot about me. They might be hostile. A lot of things ran through my mind, but I know I needed to get her out of there and take her to her home in Whiterun. I ran outside with her body in my arms, and headed towards the stables. 

I reach Breezehome in a few hours, and Kiya was still unconscious. I ignored her child's persistent questioning and took Kiya to her bed upstairs. I took off most of her heavy Daedric armor so she can sleep more soundly, and put  fur armor on her to keep her warm. By the Gods, she looked so beautiful in her sleep. I watched her breathe so peacefully, and I felt a pang of guilt for having been cold to her all this time that only while she slept did I see her like that. I close the door, and settled near the hearth downstairs. And now I wait for her to wake up with a clear mind so we can talk about all that had happened. I hope she won't hurl another spell at me, for it might be the last thing I see.